Explain a Past Disagreement With a Manager in an Inter­view

You may be asked about a time you disagreed with a manager. This guide is about one real past disagreement over how to do some work, told fairly and without needing a neat ending. It is a different situation from disagreeing with an interviewer on the day. For that, see our guide to disagreeing respectfully in an interview.

Choose an ordinary example

Pick a disagreement about a method, a plan or a decision where you and your manager saw something differently, and where you can describe both views fairly. National Careers Service interview advice suggests preparing real examples from your past, so choose one you remember well enough to describe accurately. If you cannot recall the details, choose another. If you have no suitable real example, say so and ask whether an example from study or volunteering would answer the question. Do not invent a manager or disagreement.

Tell it in six parts

• The issue: what was being decided, in plain terms.
• Your view: what you thought, and what you based it on.
• Their view: what your manager said, as closely as you remember it.
• What you did: how and when you raised it, and with whom.
• The decision: what was decided, and who decided it.
• What you did next: how you carried on, including whether you followed the decision.

Then say what you know about the result, and what you do not know.

Describe your manager by what they said and did

Stick to what you observed and distinguish it from your interpretation. Fictional wording such as "My manager said the budget was fixed" reports a statement; it does not establish whether the budget really was fixed. Another invented example, "My manager did not care about quality", attributes a motive. Avoid personality labels. You can say you were frustrated or unsure if that is true. Keep relevant facts, but omit confidential details and identify people by their role rather than their name.

You do not need a win or a lesson

A real disagreement can end with the manager keeping their original choice, and you can describe that ending honestly. You do not need to have been proved right, to have changed your mind or to have a lesson to report. If you went along with the decision, say so. If you asked for it to be reviewed and nothing changed, say that. If you still see it differently, you can explain the remaining point of difference.

Keep ordinary disagreements and serious concerns apart

This guide is for everyday disagreements about how to do work. If your story involves harassment, discrimination, legal duties or safety, it is a different kind of matter, and this guide cannot advise on it. You can choose another example for the interview. If you need help with a serious concern, look for appropriate support, such as the relevant channel at your organisation or an independent adviser. Going along with a manager's decision on an ordinary matter is also not the same as following any instruction, so do not suggest that it is.

Prepare for follow-up questions

You may be asked what you did after the decision, or whether you still think your view was right. Answer from what happened. Sample wording such as "I still see it differently" or "I don't know" is fictional, and suits an answer only if it is true. Say what you cannot verify, rather than adding an ending.

A fictional example

This example is invented. Do not present it as your own experience.

Fictional example: "My manager decided that the monthly staff newsletter would go out only as an email, instead of an email and a printed sheet. I thought a few colleagues who rarely check email might miss it, so I suggested leaving a printed copy in the staff room. I raised it in our one-to-one. My manager said printing was not in the budget and that the email would be used. I sent the email version as decided. I did not raise it again. My view has not changed, and I don't know whether the decision caused any problems."

Fictional wording, only if it is true for you: "We saw it differently. My manager made the decision, and I carried it out."

Practice your answer

Say your answer aloud if you wish. If you practice with another person, agree with them before recording or sharing any recording. In a real interview or assessment, do not use any tool to generate answers unless the organiser has explicitly allowed it.

This guide is published by Muqabala. If you would like to rehearse your answer, you can visit our interview practice page. Do not paste confidential employer, client or personal information into any practice tool.